Dark Blue World (2001)

The friendship of two men becomes tested when they both fall for the same woman.

Director:

Jan Sverák

Writers:

Zdenek Sverák (story), Zdenek Sverák (screenplay)

Stars:

Ondrej Vetchý, Krystof Hádek, Tara Fitzgerald

8 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ondrej Vetchý	...	Frantisek Sláma
Krystof Hádek	...	Karel Vojtisek
Tara Fitzgerald	...	Susan Whitmore
Charles Dance	...	Wing Commander Bentley
Oldrich Kaiser	...	Jan Machatý
David Novotný	...	Bedrich Mrtvý
Linda Rybová	...	Hanicka Pecharova
Jaromír Dulava	...	Railwayman Kanka
Lukás Kantor	...	Tom Tom
Radim Fiala	...	Jura Sysel
Juraj Bernáth	...	Jan Gregora
Miroslav Táborský	...	Vilha Houf
Hans-Jörg Assmann	...	Doctor Blaschke
Thure Riefenstein	...	German Officer Hesse
Anna Massey	...	English Teacher

Storyline

March 15, 1939: Germany invades Czechoslovakia. Czech and Slovak pilots flee to England, joining the RAF. After the war, back home, they are put in labor camps, suspected of anti-Communist ideas. This film cuts between a post-war camp where Franta is a prisoner and England during the war, where Franta is like a big brother to Karel, a very young pilot. On maneuvers, Karel crash lands by the rural home of Susan, an English woman whose husband is MIA. She spends one night with Karel, and he thinks he's found the love of his life. It's complicated by Susan's attraction to Franta. How will the three handle innocence, Eros, friendship, and the heat of battle? When war ends, what then?

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Plot Keywords:

raf | czech abroad | allies | luftwaffe | nazi germany | 

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Genres:

War | Drama | Action | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Tmavomodrý svìt (czech) [Czech Republic]

Country:

Czech Republic UK Germany Denmark Italy France

Language:

Czech German English Slovak

Release Date:

17 May 2001 (Czech Republic)

Also Known As:

Dark Blue World

Filming Locations:

Czech Republic

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$19,541, 30 December 2001, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$258,215, 2 June 2002

Company Credits

Production Co:

Biograf Jan Sverak, Ceská Televize, Dark Blue World

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Features some reused footage from the 1968 movie "Battle of Britain".

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Goofs

A significant number of the Spitfires shown are later marks than would have been used in 1940, as is evidenced by their larger (and subtly differently shaped) vertical stabilizers and two underwing radiators. (Mark I and Mark II Spitfires would have had only one underwing radiator under the starboard wing, supplemented by a much smaller oil cooler under the port wing.) Also, the scenes in which Me109's appear show aircraft with unusually large chin cowling, indicating that they were probably made in Spain under license after the war (and equipped with something other than the period-correct Daimler-Benz engine that an Me109 would have had in 1940).

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Quotes

[after a failed operation]
Franti?ek Sláma: We lost one plane.
[a Spitfire explodes on the airport in the background]
Commander Bentley: Two planes.
Franti?ek Sláma: We were ambushed by Messerschmitts.
Commander Bentley: Caught you by surprise, didn't they. This is an air war, Sir! What did you expect to find there, flies?

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Connections

Referenced in Za scénou: Jaromír Hanzlík (2018)

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Soundtracks

Pochod karnevalu umelecké besedy
by Jaroslav Jezek
Performed by Dvorakuv komorní orchestr

User Reviews

Good, very good...

I'm Czech and soldiers (not only pilots) who escaped Czechoslovakia after Nazi's invasion in 1939 and fought against them abroad are true heroes and bravest men in our history for me. This movie from director of Academy Award winner "Kolya" (1996) is a tribute to these men. It's first big-screen movie about Czechoslovak WWII soldiers since "Nebesti jezdci" (1968). I think "Dark Blue World" is a good movie - good acting, good special effects, nice music etc. Movie is half in English and some actors are Britons. But greatest thing about this movie is it's pure existence. It's great chance to show people all around the world (and to many people in Czech Republic too...) that Czechoslovak role in WWII was not only as occupied country but as an active member of allied campaign.

Leading characters are older and wiser Frantisek and young Karel. They escaped together from Czechoslovakia, they are flying in the same squadron and they fell in love with the same woman... Maybe it's a cliché but fortunately this storyline is not so aggressive and is in good balance with other scenes (including great dogfights). I don't want to compare "Dark Blue World" with "Pearl Harbor", someone will like PH more and someone will like DBW. But if you like happy ends, DBW is not for you. So, I think it's very good movie for everyone who likes this type of stories and very good movie who wants to get to know something about this chapter of Czechoslovak history.

BTW, main theme "Dark Blue World" is from Czech 30's and 40's composer Jaroslav Jezek. He wrote this theme when he lost his eyes...